Small details pay big dividends in roof specification. As a building’s first line of defence and prominent thermal feature, a roof must maintain long-term, maximum performance. Therefore, every aspect of its installation and insulation should be considered to ensure t remains watertight, problem-free and energy-efficient during its lifetime. Andrew Rowley, Senior Designer at Gradient, the UK’s leading supplier of tapered roof insulation, highlights a few seemingly minor roofing issues, which if not addressed correctly, could result in major problems following installation.

By failing to prepare, we prepare for failure - an oft-repeated phrase which applies very favourably to successful roof installation and its thermal performance. In the UK, homes are responsible for 27% of carbon emissions, a statistic that requires serious attention, especially as our government committed to reducing the country’s CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050 as part of the Climate Change Act. To improve the thermal-efficiency of buildings old and new, perhaps we’d be advised to adhere to another well-known phrase - prevention is better than cure.

Tapered and tailored to suit

The specification of bespoke, single-layer tapered roofing solutions can help alleviate risk when it comes to insulation. This outcome is easiest and best achieved in conjunction with companies such as Gradient which works closely with customers on the design and manufacture of a suitable system for a wide range of roofing applications. Placing the insulation process - from start to finish - into the hands of highly-experienced and skilled professionals not only maximises control standards in roof design, manufacture, performance and sustainability, it results in a better-conceived flat roof which is improved in value, performance and complies with all relevant legislative standards.

Gradient is able to supply specialist technical support to provide customers with flat roof solutions - whatever a roofing project’s stage. However, it’s fair to say most problems occur when clients neglect to engage such company’s at the very start of the roof specification process which minimises the risk of future problems. The close proximity of door thresholds to roof decks resulting in underperforming U-values is a common issue. It’s an oversight which can lead to water-ponding and possible insect infestation, but can easily be avoided with early involvement from the roof insulation manufacturer.

In such cases, a tapered roof insulation scheme can be applied, but the thermal performance will not be as good as it ought to be due to the aforementioned fault at the design stage. Encouraging developers to consider roof insulation sizes long before they start casting concrete is key to trouble-free roofing. When a building’s shell and certain fixtures and fittings are in position before roofing issues have been fully-addressed, it can often lead to height limitations being imposed on the insulation installed. Thus, flat guttering, the same thickness as the insulation is seen as a solution. Whilst this might be seen as a perfectly acceptable system for installers, developers would quite reasonably prefer a completely run-dry roof on which water is pushed to all available outlets.

Mind the gaps

Constraints on insulation height will sometimes rule-out the use of a fully-tapered roofing scheme, therefore a compromise on a particular roofing detail may have to be reached. It could lead to a roof design which doesn’t necessarily reflect best practice, but is nonetheless the best scheme with all factors considered. Compromise can take the form of a lower U-value, or the installation of a hybrid roof scheme in which insulation is applied below the deck. The latter solution is not ideal, as condensation is often a by-product. However, roofing firms such as Gradient are able to carry out calculations for a hybrid roof that will eliminate the risk of condensation.

Whichever roofing insulation specified, its performance is only as good as the installer. Selecting a proven contractor to carry out installation work is vital - a task becoming more challenging by the day with Britain facing its biggest skills shortage for a generation, particularly in the roofing industry. If a contractor omits to fully-tackle air gaps, for example, in a perfectly-designed roof, the potential for condensation remains.

Strip to reveal

For developer, contractor and customer, time is money in the construction industry. With budgets being tightened across the sector as uncertainty over Britain’s post-Brexit future remains; so ever-tighter deadlines must be met. However, quality must not be lost in the rush to reach the finish line. For refurbishment projects in which an existing roof is overlaid, Gradient is able to design a tapered scheme, with surveys made all the easier due to the visibility of the building’s falls. It’s part of the company’s service to carry out the same assessment when a roof is stripped to its deck. Time restrictions will often lead to contractors refusing the offer of a second visit, even though the stripped roof could reveal a deck to be damaged or uneven and in need of a rethink as to how the insulation should be applied to improve its long-term performance. Again, the answer is good preparation. Building extra time into a roof’s installation before installers arrive on site will help avoid unseen issues which may crop-up as the process continues.

Quality roof insulation, which protects against the ravages of the elements and time, as part of a long-term, waterproof system, doesn’t arrive by accident - it’s most definitely the result of excellent design and installation.

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It is now possible to go from green concrete to green roof in just three days. There will of course be many who say it cannot be done, but they are being proved wrong by a company that is leading the market with a new kind of waterproofing technology – and it’s confounding the traditionalists.
With increasing pressure on building costs and owners strictly enforcing projects to be delivered on time and within budget, any roof waterproofing system that can save almost a calendar month in time and allow other trades to begin work within days of new concrete being laid, has to be welcome.
At present it is generally considered that green concrete cannot be waterproofed until around 28 days after installation. The maximum amount of trapped water contained in the concrete has to be allowed to escape for the concrete to cure properly which effectively means that the project can be on hold during that time.
So all credit to Proteus Waterproofing, one the fastest growing companies of its kind, for developing such a system - Cold-Melt® - which is making all other waterproof membranes look obsolete. It’s a seamless application consisting of two main waterproofing layers – the first of which can be laid over green concrete after just three days sealing the building while still allowing the concrete to cure and continue drying out in the usual way.
The system is so advanced that the first layer is all that is needed to waterproof the building and if the project demands it, then the final layer does not have to be applied until all other trades have completed their work. This is another significant plus as other trades frequently damage membranes leading to costly repairs and delays.
Cold-Melt® is not as prone to such damage, is easily repaired and will have an additional finishing waterproof layer as the project progresses. In fact the BBA have certified that the Cold-Melt® system is so tough that it will last for the life time of the building on which it is installed.
No one is saying that Cold-Melt® will replace all other types of waterproof membrane – each has its own particular place in the market – but there is no doubt that this is a unique product that is ticking a lot of boxes for building owners and specifiers.
As well as the fact that it can be rapidly installed, Cold-Melt® as the name suggests, does not use any naked flame or molten material and because it is virtually odour free, delivers maximum health and safety and minimum disruption.
It is manufactured from recycled rubber crumb and other environment friendly materials such as castor oil and other organically grown products to create an elastomeric, cold applied membrane so sustainability also gets the thumbs up.
But let’s get back to the beginning – green concrete to green roof in just three days is now a reality. This seems to be a system that is ready for anything and for the moment - there is nothing else like it in the roofing market.
Visit: http://proteuswaterproofing.co.uk/

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) should be congratulated for their latest initiative to raise the profile of the workforce and improve standards. Chief executive James Talman has set out three objectives which he believes are needed to take the industry forward in what he calls “The Roofing Sector Workforce Development Strategy.” These are to:
Establish roofing as a professional, modern respected and aspirational sector with clear career paths; able to attract the best and brightest apprentices, students and new works.
Formalise and standardise a higher UK-wide training, accreditation and assessment infrastructure, to upskill and multi-skill its growing work force.
Proactive engagement with all roofing sector companies, suppliers and trade associations and seeking endorsement and commitment from all procurement stakeholders; enabling growth increased training and access to grants and higher standards.
In all the excitement it would be easy to forget that there is one key sector within roofing that successfully went down this path many years ago – and that would be the mastic asphalt industry.
Most of the major contractors within mastic asphalt, via its trade association MAC, have successfully encouraged and supported apprenticeships for many years. All operatives have to have some three years of training before they reach the required craft skills - backed by CITB-approved training schemes, to a minimum of NVQ Level 2 and, ideally, to NVQ Level 3.
It has resulted in the most highly trained workforce within roofing which has enabled the industry to support some of the most comprehensive guarantee schemes and warranties – knowing that it has a proven product that can only be installed by the very best.
Until now there have been few other areas within roofing that offer the same high standards and support for building owners, architects and all other construction professionals, so it can only be hoped that James Talman will succeed with his new initiative.
MAC successfully gives accreditation to all its members and over the years the NFRC has also ensured that it attracts the best operatives, but it only has around 1,000 members and these already represent the cream of the industry.
Proof that the scheme will work will only be seen when this initiative goes out to a wider audience. We still have many thousands of so called “ladder and bucket” roofers which are traditionally hard to reach with any new message. We have even more general builders who call themselves roofing contractors when a potential job is in the offing – so it will be intriguing to see how the strategy will work in these areas.
The rest of Europe does things slightly differently and roofing is seen for the highly skilled job it really is so I hope that this initiative will succeed at every level and root out the cowboys and make it impossible for them to operate.
I fear that this is still a long way off – but you have to start somewhere – so all power to the NFRC.
By John Ridgeway Follow me on Twitter @JohnRidgeway99

Earlier this year, data released by the Office for National Statistics revealed the risk of suicide among low-skilled male laborers, particularly those working in construction, was three times higher than the national average. Mental illness has long been considered something of a taboo subject within the building industry, leading to companies such as BriggsAmasco, the UK’s leading national commercial roofing company investing in training schemes designed to educate employees and help them recognise the symptoms of psychological stress. Dave Maginnis, Managing Director at BriggsAmasco, talks about the education programme and his company’s aim to highlight issues surrounding ‘the invisible illness’.
Construction is a tough environment to inhabit. The physical demands are heavy and the pace at which workers have to toil is unrelenting. There are also mental pressures. Deadlines need to be met on a daily basis to satisfy a seemingly never-ending chain of command that begins with the client, but can include a host of contractors and various trades which are dependent on a person a lot further down the line getting their bit right for a project to proceed at sufficient speed. Therefore, it’s fair to say the building industry, particularly the roofing sector, is not for the faint-hearted.
If we concur with the stereotypical view, then construction workers are as tough as the materials in their possession; they’re insensitive to the perils they face in their line of duty, and they’re mostly easy-going types whose hard-earned brawn has insulated them against the fears and anxieties felt by those engaged in less-rigorous employment. The reality is somewhat different, however. This is borne out by figures that reveal one-in-six construction-based workers are suffering from a form of mental illness. The fact that suicide kills more people in the building sector than falls is even more daunting. Thankfully, it appears the industry itself is becoming aware of the health issue in its midst. Initiatives such as Mates in Mind, a recently-launched charitable programme designed to improve and promote positive mental health in construction, has the backing of the British Safety Council, the Health in Construction Leadership Group, and the Samaritans. However, when it’s considered a 2006 CIOB report, showed 70% of workers suffered from stress-related mental conditions as a direct result of working in the industry, its clear employees within the sector should be taking a firmer lead on ways to address the issue.
Warning signs
In June, BriggsAmasco staged a workshop for employees to help them recognise signs of mental health problems and encourage individuals to seek the right help. It was held as part of our annual Health and Safety forum on behalf of contract-related staff and subcontractors.The Mental Health First Aid coursewas delivered by a qualified, external trainer to ensure an effective and efficient approach was taken in relation to the subject. People often respond better to an outsider with a proper understanding of the topic they are delivering, and our aim was to ensure that our employees fully-absorbed the message being conveyed.
Staff interaction was encouraged throughout the course by sharing knowledge and personal experiences of the illness in an open-floor environment. Details were also shared on various mental health issues, and the warning signs to look out for, such as stress, anxiety and depression, that could indicate someone has a condition. The feedback from colleagues who attended the course was extremely positive. Most told us they found it incredibly insightful and gave them a new approach in their thought process regarding mental health issues. This was precisely the result we were hoping for.
BriggsAmasco has covered more than 1,000 hours in health and safety training and awareness through internal and external courses. We also hold annual health surveillance assessments for our 200-plus safety-critical employees in which a detailed wellbeing assessment is carried out by a medical professional. This robust approach to the welfare of staff led to the company achieving ISO, 9001, 14001 and 18001 – one of a few UK organisations to meet all three standards.
Adapting to change
Health and Safety is paramount at BriggsAmasco. However, with so much focus being applied to the day-to-day safety aspect; the health issue is sometimes left in the background. Therefore, we felt it extremely important to raise awareness on the subject of mental health and reassure our employees that the support is there if and when required. Mental health issues reportedly account for people taking nearly 70 million days off sick per year – the most of any health condition – costing the UK economy between £70 billion and £100 billion a year. Proof, therefore, the ramifications of this debilitating condition can travel far beyond the distress it causes an individual.
The construction industry has been viewed by some as resistant to adapting to changes in working practices and behaviours, but it’s been swift to act in relation to a hitherto unspoken issue: the psychological wellbeing of its employers. At BriggsAmasco, we are aiming to overturn the negative view of mental illness and open-up discussion about its causes, symptoms and diagnoses. In our opinion, the construction industry should approach the welfare of its members with the same precision applied to a high-profile building or engineering project, which means paying as much attention to the interior, as well as the exterior details.

Assurances given in terms to the longevity of single ply products are not always as black and white as they first appear. This is because while the majority of manufacturers can produce statements of their products’ life expectancies or design lives via accelerated testing, it is sometimes the case that these timescales are longer than the time a manufacturer has actually been operating in the UK.
For some this situation may be acceptable. Others require ‘real’ evidence of performance when choosing the right roofing product as they recognise that a roof is the most important element in securing a building’s long-term endurance. We’re fortunate that we can show a client, architect or surveyor that what has been tested in theory has also been proven and confirmed in reality.
Trocal entered the UK market in 1972 but the company’s history prior to this point and its connection to one of the most infamous inventors of the 19th Century still remains relatively unknown by many of our UK customers.
Trocal can be traced back to Alfred Nobel, who founded Alfred Nobel & Co (later known as Dynamit Nobel AG), a chemical company involved in the production of weaponry in Troisdorf, Germany, 1865.
Nobel’s place in history was secured through the invention of Dynamite in 1867 and the establishment of the Nobel Peace Prize some 30 years later – which occurred despite the apparent contradiction in terms!
After the First World War, the company turned its attention to chemical-based products involving ‘plastics', with the first fully synthetic plastic launched in 1934.
In 1962 the first Trocal single ply roofing membrane was launched and this would be the springboard to the UK in the early 70s and achieving its first BBA certificate in 1975. In 1979 Trocal went onto be the founding member of the Flat Roofing Association (FRA) which would later become todays governing body for the single ply industry, the Single Ply Roofing Association (SPRA).
In late 2015, in Trocal’s 43rd year in business in the UK, we decided to improve our British Board of Agrément certification statement on the life expectancy of our membranes, which at the time stood at 30 years. We set ourselves the goal of increasing this to “in excess of 35 years” but to do so we needed to provide a sample of an existing Trocal membrane that could perform to this requirement.
Thankfully, Sika-Trocal has been a leading supplier of Single Ply and have had millions of m2 installed over the years and one client, Fossil (UK) Ltd, had a Trocal membrane installed on their headquarters in Milton Keynes in 1981, which had enjoyed 35 reliable, trouble free years.
The sample provided of the existing membrane demonstrated very similar flexibility and constitution performance to a brand new membrane and this helped Sika-Trocal have its membrane life span extended to “in excess of 35 years” by the BBA. And the rest they say is history.
By Andy Lockwood, Area Technical Manager at Sika-Trocal

Jul 11, 2017 0

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